Description
The allies victory of the war cam with a very high price. World War II left up to 60 million dead and property damage that cost up to billions of dollars. By the end of the World War II Europe had lost up to 40 million people, two thirds of them being civilians. The constant bombings left the country side of Europe to be a place of rubble. Few cities like Paris, Rome, and Brussels where left untouched, however, others did not. For example, The Blitz left London in ruins, Warsaw, Poland was nearly wiped from the face of the Earth. Berlin had 25,000 tons of Allied bombs fall on its grounds. Causing 95% of central city to be demolished.
This left people to live in half destroyed homes, sometimes even caves or cellars anything for some type of protection. Civilians who decided to stay not only lacked shelter but food. A majority of factories were gone and there were no way of making earnings to purchase the food that was available. With no food, and no proper shelter deaths by disease rose and spread. Despairing Europeans blamed their leaders for the war and its aftermath. Which is why countries like Belgium and Holland quickly returned to their previous governments. However after the war, the Communist Party promised change. Party membership increased in Italy & France. Alarmed French & Italians began voting for anti-Communist parties. As their economies began to recover, Communist Party influence began to decline in Western Europe.
In 1946, 22 Nazi leaders were charged with waging a war of aggression. They were also accused of committing “crimes against humanity”, the murder of 11 million people. This was known as the Nuremberg laws. Adolph Hitler, SS chief Heinrich Himmler, and Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels escaped trial by committing suicide, of the 22 tried, 12 were sentenced to death.
Miles away in Japan, World War II had left the country in ruins. Two million lives had been lost due to the war. Major cities were destroyed.The aftermath for Japan was quite similar to that of Europe's. Japan had a lot of consequences for playing their part in the war, such as demilitarization, the process of disbanding the Japanese armed forces. Along with Democratization, the process of creating a government elected by the people. And a new constitution, establishing a parliamentary democracy. It was accepted by the Japanese and went into effect on May 3, 1947.
This left people to live in half destroyed homes, sometimes even caves or cellars anything for some type of protection. Civilians who decided to stay not only lacked shelter but food. A majority of factories were gone and there were no way of making earnings to purchase the food that was available. With no food, and no proper shelter deaths by disease rose and spread. Despairing Europeans blamed their leaders for the war and its aftermath. Which is why countries like Belgium and Holland quickly returned to their previous governments. However after the war, the Communist Party promised change. Party membership increased in Italy & France. Alarmed French & Italians began voting for anti-Communist parties. As their economies began to recover, Communist Party influence began to decline in Western Europe.
In 1946, 22 Nazi leaders were charged with waging a war of aggression. They were also accused of committing “crimes against humanity”, the murder of 11 million people. This was known as the Nuremberg laws. Adolph Hitler, SS chief Heinrich Himmler, and Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels escaped trial by committing suicide, of the 22 tried, 12 were sentenced to death.
Miles away in Japan, World War II had left the country in ruins. Two million lives had been lost due to the war. Major cities were destroyed.The aftermath for Japan was quite similar to that of Europe's. Japan had a lot of consequences for playing their part in the war, such as demilitarization, the process of disbanding the Japanese armed forces. Along with Democratization, the process of creating a government elected by the people. And a new constitution, establishing a parliamentary democracy. It was accepted by the Japanese and went into effect on May 3, 1947.
10 Best articles
Following World War Two, the Nuremberg trials were held as an attempt to bring Nazi war criminals to justice. This article describes the trials and the ways in which the Nazis explained their involvement in World War Two. "The charges laid at their door were extraordinary. They were collectively accused of conspiring to wage war, and committing crimes against peace, crimes against humanity (including the newly defined crime of genocide) and war crimes in the ordinary sense (abuse and murder of prisoners, killing of civilians and so on). This catalogue of sin was difficult for many of the defendants to come to terms with."
This article examines whether the Nuremberg trials were successful, and what their lasting legacy is during the post-war years. "What the Allied powers had in mind was a tribunal that would make the waging of aggressive war, the violation of sovereignty and the perpetration of what came to be known in 1945 as 'crimes against humanity' internationally recognised offenses."
A summary of the political and cultural changes experienced by the Japanese as a result of the post-war American occupation." The American government believed that establishing democracy in Japan involved change in all areas of Japanese life. Under MacArthur and with the cooperation of the Japanese, Japan undertook tremendous changes in just seven short years — the Occupation lasted from 1945 to 1952."
This article explains the Diet- the form of parliament established in Japan as a result of American occupation. "Now, under the post-war system, because the Diet is defined as the supreme organ of state, of state power, it is theoretically the fountainhead of all political power in Japan. So anything, all laws, have to be adopted by the parliament, by the Diet."
This article summarizes the most important members of the Nazi party tried during the Nuremberg trials. "Most admitted to the crimes of which they were accused, but claimed they were following orders."
This is a brief article of what happened to Japan post world war 2
This is an article from the Washington Post on the Aftermath Europe Experienced from World War 2
This article will tell you about the consequences, and road to recovery Japan went through post World War 2.
Look at pictures and read captions that will describe, teach and actually help you visualize the devastation in Europe and Japan.
Here is a PDF on the effects World War II had on the Families of Japan and the Society as a whole.
video and audio
Video footage of post war Berlin-one of the most damaged cities after the war
Footage from the Nuremberg trials, including many of the convicted criminals being sentenced to death by hanging.
General Douglas MacArthur, the general in charge of the occupation of Japan, was instructed to end the occupation in 1951.
Primary sources
The final report for the Nuremberg trials
The outline of the American goals for occupation of Japan.
One man's account of the condition of Europe after the war, and his opinions on how to move forward post WWII